Patriot League Prediction Thread - Week 12

[carney2]

Congratulations to Holy Cross. Do us proud; make some noise in the playoffs.

Saturday, Nov. 21st

LAFAYETTE @ LEHIGH
FORDHAM @ GEORGETOWN
HOLY CROSS @ BUCKNELL

All OOC games have been played. The 2009 W-L totals are 18-17.

vs. Big South: 1-1
vs. CAA: 1-3
vs. Independents: 1-1
vs. Ivy League: 10-8
vs. MEAC: 0-1
vs. NEC: 4-2
vs. Pioneer: 1-1

Standings after week 11:

Holy Cross 5-0 PL, 9-1 Total *
Lafayette 4-1, 8-2
Colgate 4-2, 9-2 **
Lehigh 3-2, 3-7
Fordham 1-4, 4-6
Bucknell 1-4, 3-7
Georgetown 0-5, 0-10

*Guaranteed at least a tie for the League championship, and receive the League’s automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.

**Season ended.

[carney2]

Someone needs to post here before this thing gets buried on page 17 of this site. Not a lot of difficult picks, so no need to consult my Ouija board.

LAFAYETTE @ LEHIGH
Lafayette Has Lafayette gone into a deep funk after kicking it all away on Saturday? Have the Squawks risen like a phoenix from the ashes to become the contender that their supporters assumed they were back in August? In the end, you are what your record says you are.

FORDHAM @ GEORGETOWN
Fordham No need to comment on this one. The final nail in the Hoya coffin, and this season comes to a merciful end.

HOLY CROSS @ BUCKNELL
Holy Cross For some cockamamie reason a few of my Pard brethren are pulling for the blundering herd here. I, on the other hand, am a BIG 'sader supporter for the remainder of this season. You've heard of a bump on the road? The Buffalos will be steamrollered without so much as a squish.

[ngineer]

Someone needs to post here before this thing gets buried on page 17 of this site. Not a lot of difficult picks, so no need to consult my Ouija board.

LAFAYETTE @ LEHIGH
Lafayette Has Lafayette gone into a deep funk after kicking it all away on Saturday? Have the Squawks risen like a phoenix from the ashes to become the contender that their supporters assumed they were back in August? In the end, you are what your record says you are.

FORDHAM @ GEORGETOWN
Fordham No need to comment on this one. The final nail in the Hoya coffin, and this season comes to a merciful end.

HOLY CROSS @ BUCKNELL
Holy Cross For some cockamamie reason a few of my Pard brethren are pulling for the blundering herd here. I, on the other hand, am a BIG 'sader supporter for the remainder of this season. You've heard of a bump on the road? The Buffalos will be steamrollered without so much as a squish.

Rams finally get a game where they can lead from beginning to end. Skelton is the real deal and will toss for 450 yards in his swan song. Fordham, 45-14.

Bucknell has given everyone a 'tussle' this year, but does not have the horses to force the issue for all 60 minutes. Randolph and crew will be focused like a laser beam,and Gilmore will see to that. Crusaders cruising, 38-17.

Sure, on paper, and based upon this year's 'body of work' Lafayette is a Vargas girl and Lehigh is a fat, pimply sister. But the past three weeks say that the bitch may be back and working toward an ugly duckling transformation. This will not be a walk in the park for the 'pards, despite the bluster blowing off College Hill. With defensive schemes that wrought havoc on both Randolph and Skelton, I expect the DC to have some surprises for Curley, Moe and Larry. "The Game" is won on heart and passion, as was shown last year. Will LC be blinded by rage due to the spanking administered in their own house last year, or will they be down in the dumper due to kicking the PL championship away? The Lehigh team that we saw the last three weeks will be what shows on Saturday. Not sure what will be coming up I-78 from Easton, and that will be the determining factor...that, and whether our brain dead OC can stay out of the way. There is always a way, and I will always have faith that my alma mater will find it. Lehigh will bring in another stunner, saving Coen's job for at least one more year, 34-31 in 2OT's..xnodx

[DFW HOYA]

A question for the PL experts out there:

2-9, 1-10, 2-8, 0-10. A combined 1-21 in the league. Is this a result of coaching or talent?

Kevin Kelly is no coaching newcomer-- he was the DC at Marshall when the Herd won the national title, and has 20 years experience at places like Syracuse, Navy, Dartmouth (when they won the Ivy title in 1991), and Tulane. So where did the wheels fly off?

Or is it the on-field personnel? Has the caliber of recruits (especially the offensive line) fallen that far since 2005, or is the declining pool of kids that can get through the academic index/scholarship morass effectively consigning Georgetown to many more winless seasons? In late October 2005, this was a 4-4 team with a 2-2 PL record, with wins over Bucknell and Fordham and a 12-7 loss to Lafayette. In the last 45 games, Georgetown is 5-40.

For a few years we've heard the "Don't worry, you guys are young, give it a couple of years" encouragement. Now what? The Hoyas are losing a lot of seniors this year and any lack of returning experience does not bode well for 2010.

[ngineer]

I have said for a few years that the biggest deficit I see is in the lack of size in your lines. Must be giving away 25-35 lbs/man to most PL teams.

[Bogus Megapardus]

I have said for a few years that the biggest deficit I see is in the lack of size in your lines. Must be giving away 25-35 lbs/man to most PL teams.

It's that flaky-lib salad-and-granola diet that have in D.C. - I'm convinced. Maybe if they took the team across the Key Bridge for real Virginia steak-and-potatoes dinner once in a while, they wouldn't have this problem.

Or you can do what some Virginia and North Carolina-based teams do - use a free-agency system. Raid other colleges and Jucos for their players. It works for them, and you can fudge the whole admissions standard thing because they're "transfers." Literacy is over-rated anyhow, what with spell-check and everything . . . .

[CFBfan]

A question for the PL experts out there:

2-9, 1-10, 2-8, 0-10. A combined 1-21 in the league. Is this a result of coaching or talent?

Kevin Kelly is no coaching newcomer-- he was the DC at Marshall when the Herd won the national title, and has 20 years experience at places like Syracuse, Navy, Dartmouth (when they won the Ivy title in 1991), and Tulane. So where did the wheels fly off?

Or is it the on-field personnel? Has the caliber of recruits (especially the offensive line) fallen that far since 2005, or is the declining pool of kids that can get through the academic index/scholarship morass effectively consigning Georgetown to many more winless seasons? In late October 2005, this was a 4-4 team with a 2-2 PL record, with wins over Bucknell and Fordham and a 12-7 loss to Lafayette. In the last 45 games, Georgetown is 5-40.

For a few years we've heard the "Don't worry, you guys are young, give it a couple of years" encouragement. Now what? The Hoyas are losing a lot of seniors this year and any lack of returning experience does not bode well for 2010.

Let's keep in mind that the COACH is also responsible for recruiting!
Here is an example....limited but an example.
There is a lineman that Kelly recruited hard, and got. He was at best the third best lineman on his HS team. There was another lineman on the same HS team that was much better in all aspects.....bigger, quicker, faster, meaner.....everything AND had a 3.9 GPA and an SAT over 2000. Kelly wouldn't even talk to him! and he "begged" his coach made numerous calls on his behalf. Another team happily took.....a scollie team and gave him a full ride. Yes onlhy 1 example BUT, I know of this one first hand so this is 100% accurate and I am sure that it is not the only example of poor recruiting and again...that IS the COACHES responsibilty!!!

[letsgopards04]

LAFAYETTE @ LEHIGH It will a cold day in Bethlehem before I pick the Squawks.
FORDHAM @ GEORGETOWN Skelton fills his highlight reel.
HOLY CROSS @ BUCKNELL The power of christ compels them to victory.

[Pard4Life]

You might as well place the ** next to our name. No playoffs, which is unfortunate given the high quality of play in the PL this year. There should be two teams invited.

[DFW HOYA]

You might as well place the ** next to our name. No playoffs, which is unfortunate given the high quality of play in the PL this year. There should be two teams invited.

There should be, but the PL's out of conference record cited above, particularly against playoff-eligible conferences, does not support a second bid.

[Bogus Megapardus]

You might as well place the ** next to our name. No playoffs, which is unfortunate given the high quality of play in the PL this year. There should be two teams invited.

There won't be two teams. The way to the playoffs is to win the league title. Holy Cross won. Beating Richmond got us an invite. Maybe beating Liberty would have as well, but I doubt it. Could have beat Liberty and HC in close games, but we didn't. Beating the Ivy League champion is the only thing left on the Pards' resume.

But . . . the nice thing about having the nation's premiere rivalry game is that, no matter what else the season brings, there's always that one last game to look forward to. It ignites our small, humble campuses like few others can comprehend, and makes the game worthwhile always.

And Lehigh sucks, too.

[DFW HOYA]

A full week of Leh/Laf talk? Oh well.


Any chance the PL offices will seek to promote the second oldest rivalry in the conference this week, a series dating back to 1890, that not only features the first two Catholic universities to play college football (1881, six years before Notre Dame), but two of the original three Division I schools to bring back non-scholarship football, 45 years ago this fall?

Nah, didn't think so... xoopsx

[Pard94]

Congratulations to Holy Cross. Do us proud; make some noise in the playoffs.

Saturday, Nov. 21st

LAFAYETTE @ LEHIGH
FORDHAM @ GEORGETOWN
HOLY CROSS @ BUCKNELL

All OOC games have been played. The 2009 W-L totals are 18-17.

vs. Big South: 1-1
vs. CAA: 1-3
vs. Independents: 1-1
vs. Ivy League: 10-8
vs. MEAC: 0-1
vs. NEC: 4-2
vs. Pioneer: 1-1

Standings after week 11:

Holy Cross 5-0 PL, 9-1 Total *
Lafayette 4-1, 8-2
Colgate 4-2, 9-2 **
Lehigh 3-2, 3-7
Fordham 1-4, 4-6
Bucknell 1-4, 3-7
Georgetown 0-5, 0-10

*Guaranteed at least a tie for the League championship, and receive the League’s automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.

**Season ended.

Fordham at Georgetown - Don't care.

Holy Cross at Bucknell - Don't care.

LAFAYETTE beats lehigh - 35-14 - lehigh get's back to doing what they do best. That is running a coach out of town, hiring a new one, anointing him the best "football mind" since Vince Lambardi, losing football games when they count, blaming everybody but themselves, coming to the conclusion that their version of Vince Lambardi is actually closer to Vince the ShamWow Guy, run him out of town and start all over again.

[Bogus Megapardus]

A full week of Leh/Laf talk? Oh well.


Any chance the PL offices will seek to promote the second oldest rivalry in the conference this week, a series dating back to 1890, that not only features the first two Catholic universities to play college football (1881, six years before Notre Dame), but two of the original three Division I schools to bring back non-scholarship football, 45 years ago this fall?

Nah, didn't think so... xoopsx

Hoya - Didn't Seton Hall field a team very early on? I'm pretty sure they did, and they played Fordham, Stevens, NYU, Columbia, etc.

[Bogus Megapardus]

lehigh get's back to doing what they do best. That is running a coach out of town, hiring a new one, anointing him the best "football mind" since Vince Lambardi, losing football games when they count, blaming everybody but themselves, coming to the conclusion that their version of Vince Lambardi is actually closer to Vince the ShamWow Guy, run him out of town and start all over again.

Pulitzer Pard Prize. xnodx

[Pard94]

Pulitzer Pard Prize. xnodx

I just call 'em as I see 'em. Lehigh writes most of its own material.

[centraljerseycat]

Does Coen keep his job if he knocks off Lafayette Saturday and eliminates their playoff chances?

[Pard94]

Does Coen keep his job if he knocks off Lafayette Saturday and eliminates their playoff chances?

Hopefully.

[DFW HOYA]

Hoya - Didn't Seton Hall field a team very early on? I'm pretty sure they did, and they played Fordham, Stevens, NYU, Columbia, etc.

1882, or so this site says:
http://www.luckyshow.org/football/sh.htm

[Bogus Megapardus]

1882, or so this site says:
http://www.luckyshow.org/football/sh.htm

So the Hall actually preceded ND in football, as did Georgetown and Fordham. Hmmmm . . . .

A Seton Hall FCS team, with games played at the new 25,000 seat Schools Stadium in Newark, in the shadow of the venerable Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, would be a very good thing, IMHO.

The Pards would play them, and I know Georgetown and Fordham would too.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Does Coen keep his job if he knocks off Lafayette Saturday and eliminates their playoff chances?


Hopefully.

What Pard really means is that hopefully Lehigh loses and Coen still keeps his job.

[CFBfan]

Hoya - Didn't Seton Hall field a team very early on? I'm pretty sure they did, and they played Fordham, Stevens, NYU, Columbia, etc.

they did, their last season was 1980.
they were D3 at the time playing amoung others: Hofstra, Fordham, Montclair State, William Paterson, Wagner, Glassboro, Kean, Rochester, etc.

They started as a club team and went to D3. their facilities at the time (or lack of) make GU's look fantstic!

[Pard94]

What Pard really means is that hopefully Lehigh loses and Coen still keeps his job.

yes. That's exactly what I meant. I bank on the fact that Lehigh has demonstrated an acute inability to find its a*s with both hands over the last 5 or 6years. Keeping Coen on would just be another example of this. I'd lay money on Coen not going anywhere regardless of the a*s-kicking he suffers on Saturday.

[Pards Rule]

^^^ Fine with me! On another note, just curious but do the mayors of Bethlehem and Easton bet on the Game? I never thought I would see the day when the mayor of Easton, PA was on the front page of the Wall Street Journal (Sal Panto likeness as part of a whole article a few weeks ago on the Yankees-Phils divide centering in Easton, approx 60 miles away from both cities)...

[Bogus Megapardus]

yes. That's exactly what I meant. I bank on the fact that Lehigh has demonstrated an acute inability to find its a*s with both hands over the last 5 or 6years. Keeping Coen on would just be another example of this. I'd lay money on Coen not going anywhere regardless of the a*s-kicking he suffers on Saturday.

Worst case scenario, P94: Lehigh wins, Coen gets promoted to Athletic Director, and he appoints a new head coach in his likeness.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Do the mayors of Bethlehem and Easton bet on the Game?

They do not. Easton is a beautifully-built, architecturally-sound city with an educated populace and a developing reputation as a significant cultural center. Bethlehem, of course, remains the colostomy bag of Eastern Pennsylvania.

In order to place a bet, the participants would have to shake hands. Would you shake hands with anyone who ever has been within the waft of Lehigh University?

[Pard94]

HELLO (hello hello (echo effect))? IS ANYBODY OUT THERE (out there out there)?

I can only conclude that the complete lack of anything resembling a fight by the chicken hawks mean they pretty much agree with us. Not like them to see reason and truth though. They'll be along soon enough I suspect...and they'll be lame.

[Bogus Megapardus]

HELLO (hello hello (echo effect))? IS ANYBODY OUT THERE (out there out there)?

I can only conclude that the complete lack of anything resembling a fight by the chicken hawks mean they pretty much agree with us. Not like them to see reason and truth though. They'll be along soon enough I suspect...and they'll be lame.

I'm doing my best, P94, but I have a business to run here, too, you know . . . .

[Franks Tanks]

^^^ Fine with me! On another note, just curious but do the mayors of Bethlehem and Easton bet on the Game? I never thought I would see the day when the mayor of Easton, PA was on the front page of the Wall Street Journal (Sal Panto likeness as part of a whole article a few weeks ago on the Yankees-Phils divide centering in Easton, approx 60 miles away from both cities)...

No-- but Sal should wager a Gyro and Callahan can wager an IUO promise of reduced property taxes due to casino tax revenue. When is that coming?

[Pard94]

I'm doing my best, P94, but I have a business to run here, too, you know . . . .


It may come to that if some Lehigh folks don't show up and start fighting soon. You'll have to play the part of a Lehigh supporter (look to Gollum in the The Lord of the Rings for inspiration). And I'll play myself (think Leonidis in 300).

[Pard4Life]

^^^ Fine with me! On another note, just curious but do the mayors of Bethlehem and Easton bet on the Game? I never thought I would see the day when the mayor of Easton, PA was on the front page of the Wall Street Journal (Sal Panto likeness as part of a whole article a few weeks ago on the Yankees-Phils divide centering in Easton, approx 60 miles away from both cities)...

That was an interesting and funny article. In the same issue, the WSJ featured great programs that are no more, or who had their glory and lost it (UChicago, Tualne). We were so close to being in that feature as of 10 years ago.

In that same article, they cite how the Ivies play in obscurity today, and gave as their example Yale, their large Bowl, and, "3900 people at the Lafayette game."

I was going to write the guy saying 1) it was raining 2) Yale is averaging 12000 per game this year... more than some terrible NBA teams. Of course his point is that it is not as grand as before, but it's not exactly a ghost town. And, there is that GAME every year. Important games draw. A big H-P or P-P game drew 20,000+ in 2007 or 2006.

[Bogus Megapardus]

It may come to that if some Lehigh folks don't show up and start fighting soon. You'll have to play the part of a Lehigh supporter (look to Gollum in the The Lord of the Rings for inspiration). And I'll play myself (think Leonidis in 300).

I read LOTR like, six times when I was a kid. All three volumes plus The Hobbit and The Silmarillion. It was our Harry Potter.

[DFW HOYA]

That was an interesting and funny article. In the same issue, the WSJ featured great programs that are no more, or who had their glory and lost it (UChicago, Tulane). We were so close to being in that feature as of 10 years ago.

Tulane still plays in I-A and went to a bowl as recent as 2002.

Chicago hasn't been in major college footbal in over 70 years and outside of Stagg's notoriety, never had true national glory: UC never made a national poll and its last undefeated season was in 1913.

[Pard94]

I read LOTR like, six times when I was a kid. All three volumes plus The Hobbit and The Silmarillion. It was our Harry Potter.

I hear LFN looks like Bilbo Baggens.

[Bogus Megapardus]

I hear LFN looks like Bilbo Baggens.

Yep - big, hairy feet.

[Doc QB]

[QUOTE][Bethlehem, of course, remains the colostomy bag of Eastern Pennsylvania./QUOTE]

Bogus, that was funny...and I've created a couple of those bags in my career.

Callahan, for you Pard not in the know, went to Moravian, and would have little reason to really acknowledge LU for a wager with your mayor. And other than go to the LU-Laff gate at Fisher, why would one EVER want to go to that armpit of a town anyway? To be closer to New Jersey, another inflamed boil on the buttocks of the earth? Bethlehem rules.

[Doc QB]

And, yes, I know game is at Goodman this year.

[Franks Tanks]

Tulane still plays in I-A and went to a bowl as recent as 2002.

Chicago hasn't been in major college footbal in over 70 years.

But Tulane was in the SEC and de-emphaiszed because they felt they couldnt keep up with the big state schools in the SEC who cheated and had no academic standards.

The main point was that most schools with high academic standards have downgraded their programs in some manner to maintain integrity.

[Franks Tanks]

[QUOTE][Bethlehem, of course, remains the colostomy bag of Eastern Pennsylvania./QUOTE]

Bogus, that was funny...and I've created a couple of those bags in my career.

Callahan, for you Pard not in the know, went to Moravian, and would have little reason to really acknowledge LU for a wager with your mayor. And other than go to the LU-Laff gate at Fisher, why would one EVER want to go to that armpit of a town anyway? To be closer to New Jersey, another inflamed boil on the buttocks of the earth? Bethlehem rules.

Callahan is quite a d-bag. He does act as if Moravian is the premier college in Bethlehem, PA...well maybe he is right about that one.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Bogus, that was funny...and I've created a couple of those bags in my career.


My littler brother, now a surgeon at Johns Hopkins, gave me that line. He also is a Lafayette grad, of course.

[DFW HOYA]

The main point was that most schools with high academic standards have downgraded their programs in some manner to maintain integrity.

Some, but not many. Which ones among the top 35 schools?

Ivies? Yes, but it was in 1950.
Stanford: No.
Duke: Yes.
Northwestern: No.
Notre Dame: No.
Rice: Sort of.
Georgetown: (Money-related...)
UCLA: No.
USC: No.
Michigan: No.
North Carolina: No.
Wake Forest: No.
Boston College: No.
Georgia Tech: No.
William & Mary: More or less.
Lehigh: No.

[Pard4Life]

Tulane still plays in I-A and went to a bowl as recent as 2002.

Chicago hasn't been in major college footbal in over 70 years and outside of Stagg's notoriety, never had true national glory: UC never made a national poll and its last undefeated season was in 1913.

Yes, as Tanks said, they declined the SEC. Article said that Tulane felt an independent schedule would be better.

UC was in the Big Ten and had a major stadium. They were never in any polls because they were in decline and disbanded (1939) shortly after polling started (1936).

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I hear LFN looks like Bilbo Baggens.


Yep - big, hairy feet.

Posts of the year! xlolx

I think you guys are a bunch of Sackville-Baggins', myself. xlolx

PS. At 6'3, I've never been mistaken for a Hobbit.

[Pard4Life]

Some, but not many. Which ones among the top 35 schools?

Ivies? Yes, but it was in 1950.
Stanford: No.
Duke: Yes.
Northwestern: No.
Notre Dame: No.
Rice: Sort of.
Georgetown: (Money-related...)
UCLA: No.
USC: No.
Michigan: No.
North Carolina: No.
Wake Forest: No.
Boston College: No.
Georgia Tech: No.
William & Mary: More or less.
Lehigh: No.

You mention Lehigh on this list? Like they had any standards to begin with... they were D2 until 79 or so. Pards nearly carried through with the downgrade, but we have had a major share of academic all-stars.

[DFW HOYA]

Yes, as Tanks said, they declined the SEC. Article said that Tulane felt an independent schedule would be better.


They weren't alone. In the days before TV ruled I-A football, independents could do fine on their own, which is why Georgia Tech walked away from the SEC around the same time, South Carolina left the ACC in 1971, and the Eastern independents (including Holy Cross and Villanova) were conference-free well into the 1980's.

[Bogus Megapardus]

I've . . . been mistaken for a Hobbit.

Oh, do sing one for us, won't you, Mr. LFN?

[Franks Tanks]

Some, but not many. Which ones among the top 35 schools?

Ivies? Yes, but it was in 1950.
Stanford: No.
Duke: Yes.
Northwestern: No.
Notre Dame: No.
Rice: Sort of.
Georgetown: (Money-related...)
UCLA: No.
USC: No.
Michigan: No.
North Carolina: No.
Wake Forest: No.
Boston College: No.
Georgia Tech: No.
William & Mary: More or less.
Lehigh: No.

I didnt write the stupid article, just relaying the message.

Some of those schools (UCLA) have risen in prestige more recently and are state schools. A bit different.

Virtually every school in the PL was a power at one time or another, so yes we all downgraded.

Also you dont you think Villinova, Dayton, William & Mary, Richmond and other private schools downgraded in some way? I know Nova is very good, but they did play at the highest level in the past.

[Franks Tanks]

They weren't alone. In the days before TV ruled I-A football, independents could do fine on their own, which is why Georgia Tech walked away from the SEC around the same time, South Carolina left the ACC in 1971, and the Eastern independents (including Holy Cross and Villanova) were conference-free well into the 1980's.

The University of the South was also in the SEC and considered a major power in the day. They now play D-III FB and have for years-- they would be another example.

You could even place schools like Furman, CItadel and VMI into that category. They have been in the So Con for generations, and were as well when they included now big time teams.

[Bogus Megapardus]

So . . . should taxpayer-financed college football teams be permitted to compete against wholly private institutions and create an athletically-competitive disadvantage as a result of their status?

What say ye . . . .

[colorless raider]

They weren't alone. In the days before TV ruled I-A football, independents could do fine on their own, which is why Georgia Tech walked away from the SEC around the same time, South Carolina left the ACC in 1971, and the Eastern independents (including Holy Cross and Villanova) were conference-free well into the 1980's.

As was Colgate until the formation of the Colonial League which was a veiled move to downgrade.

[TheValleyRaider]

3-1 last weekend, going into the final week with an overall record of 37-16 (15-3 in PL games)

Lafayette at Lehigh Lafayette You can say a lot about emotions, rivalry game, etc., but since that makes the game inherently unpredictable, I'm just going to take who I think is the better team. And that's Lafayette. I can't say I ever really wish for people to be fired, or take great pleasure in ti, but there seems to be strong potential that we'll have a new face on South Mountain to kick around next year

Fordham at Georgetown Fordham Speaking of coaches, what to do with these two? It's hard to say what Kelly's fate will be, as it's hard to discern what is and isn't his fault in the ongoing...something, that is Hoya Football. Is it the end of his road? Well, finishing up the campaign with Fordham to avoid going 0-11 is probably not a great harbinger. As for the Rams and Tom Masella, who is the real Fordham? I won't suggest his job's in jeopardy (there's no basis for that), but 2 mediocre seasons to follow up a championship run and with scholarships on the way, what does the future really hold for the PL's scholly conscience?

Holy Cross at Bucknell Holy Cross Since coaches are the theme today, what does the future hold for Tim Landis? Seven years in Lewisburg, and not much to show for it. Is there a point at which questions start to get asked about his job? As for Gilmore, I hear the base for his statue outside of Fitton should be installed by kickoff. If they aren't too busy chiselling out his vocal cords to figure out defending the option, Randolph and his merry men will head into the postseason on the proper high

[carney2]

A full week of Leh/Laf talk?

Ain't it great?!!!

[carney2]

LAFAYETTE beats lehigh - 35-14 - lehigh get's back to doing what they do best. That is running a coach out of town, hiring a new one, anointing him the best "football mind" since Vince Lambardi, losing football games when they count, blaming everybody but themselves, coming to the conclusion that their version of Vince Lambardi is actually closer to Vince the ShamWow Guy, run him out of town and start all over again.

Vince the ShamWow Guy?

There is a Pulitzer in here somewhere, but someone already said that.

[Franks Tanks]

As was Colgate until the formation of the Colonial League which was a veiled move to downgrade.

It was an inevitable downgrade. Colgate would have been forced to FCS due to attendance even if they wanted to stay and play with the big boys.

Putting together a quality schedule as an FCS Indy (unless you want to play 8 road games a year) would have been next to impossible for Gate. It was time to join a league and the PL was the best fit.

Now there is no reason why the PL as a whole cant get much better with scholarships and help return our schools to a hint of former glory. :)

[Bogus Megapardus]

Vince the ShamWow Guy?

There is a Pulitzer in here somewhere.

Pulitzer Pard Prize was already awarded for this post. You really must start paying attention, Carney . . .

[Bogus Megapardus]

Now there is no reason why the PL as a whole cant get much better with scholarships and help return our schools to a hint of former glory. :)

Just think of the publicity if we all start scheduling home-and-homes with Liberty U . . . . . :p:p:p

[ngineer]

Hopefully.

As I said elsewhere, I think how the teams performs down the stretch determines what occurs. The stretch has resulted in wins over Bucknell and Fordham with narrow losses to Colgate and Holy Cross. An earned win over Lafayette, IMO, will likely result in Coen being given the opportunity to succeed with next year's team, with 17 starters returning (10 on offense) plus the return of some injured guys with medical redshirts (Winnett, Pierce, Brickner?). It's just a gut feeling, but Andy really wanted this job, loves the place, and the kids seem to really like him. He needs to upgrade the staff, though-especially at the OC. If Brown isn't jetisoned, then I see no reason to keep the status quo.

[ngineer]

What Pard really means is that hopefully Lehigh loses and Coen still keeps his job.

No, I think in his heart of hearts Pard is pullling for us to win...He needs something to keep him hot all winter.;)

[Franks Tanks]

Just think of the publicity if we all start scheduling home-and-homes with Liberty U . . . . . :p:p:p

Our name rec with evangelical chistians will skyrocket

[Bogus Megapardus]

Our name rec with evangelical chistians will skyrocket

. . . but our applicant pool profile will plummet!!!

[ngineer]

HELLO (hello hello (echo effect))? IS ANYBODY OUT THERE (out there out there)?

I can only conclude that the complete lack of anything resembling a fight by the chicken hawks mean they pretty much agree with us. Not like them to see reason and truth though. They'll be along soon enough I suspect...and they'll be lame.

Some of us professionals have 'other' things to attend to at times. We don't have the luxury of sitting/standing around while working on a PennDot crew posting on Blackberrys, or sitting under the trees on Lehigh's campus as part of the landscaping crew and checking in...I'm just lucky to take a break every now and then.

[ngineer]

My littler brother, now a surgeon at Johns Hopkins, gave me that line. He also is a Lafayette grad, of course.

I've had downtown offices in both cities during the past 32 years, and believe me, Bethlehem is so much better than Easton, it defies description. You can't walk much beyond Center Square without taking undue risk, and between all the pawn shops, (I'm sure supplied by the Lafayette crowd).

[RichH2]

Guess we were guilty of it back in the day, which seems centuries ago now, but a 6 pages of posts by the poor Pards trying to get into another thread of sophomoric insults all the while patting themselves on the back. Arrogance slides on easily even over in Pardville.

Dont really care who wins other PL games. While I hope for the best , unless we can cut down on ridiculous number of mistakes,will be another frustrating game. Some glimpses of the possible with some great plays more visions of current reality mistakes mistakes ad nauseum. D will keep game close regardless of what Brown does on O. If Pards show up, they are a good team, mistakes will do us in.
a9-2 Lafayette will guarantee that Sterrett will have to shake up staff quickly. To what extent?

[Bogus Megapardus]

Guess we were guilty of it back in the day, which seems centuries ago now, but a 6 pages of posts by the poor Pards trying to get into another thread of sophomoric insults all the while patting themselves on the back. Arrogance slides on easily even over in Pardville.

Dont really care who wins other PL games. While I hope for the best , unless we can cut down on ridiculous number of mistakes,will be another frustrating game. Some glimpses of the possible with some great plays more visions of current reality mistakes mistakes ad nauseum. D will keep game close regardless of what Brown does on O. If Pards show up, they are a good team, mistakes will do us in.
a9-2 Lafayette will guarantee that Sterrett will have to shake up staff quickly. To what extent?

Lehigh has a football team? Who knew . . . .

[jimbo65]

I've had downtown offices in both cities during the past 32 years, and believe me, Bethlehem is so much better than Easton, it defies description. You can't walk much beyond Center Square without taking undue risk, and between all the pawn shops, (I'm sure supplied by the Lafayette crowd).
xsmiley_wix
You forgot to mention the massage & tatoo parlors. Actually I've never been to Easton. For all I know it could be Beverly Hills East. If you want class in a neighborhood, come to Fordham in the Bronx.

[RichH2]

Nicetry Bogus, but even tho I was looking forward to a week of repartee I find that I'mjust not up for itnow. The season has worn out my normal sunny disposition and more surely my patience and sense of humor. Mean posts just to be mean not my forte. If I cant be funny and sarcastic then id rather not start up. Lets hopethat Saturday's weather is like today. I can quarantee a good tailgateto which all AGSers are welcome. Yeah even Pards. See you at the game.

[Pard94]

Posts of the year! xlolx

I think you guys are a bunch of Sackville-Baggins', myself. xlolx

PS. At 6'3, I've never been mistaken for a Hobbit.

At 6'6, I say you're a Hobbit. :)

[Pard94]

No, I think in his heart of hearts Pard is pullling for us to win...He needs something to keep him hot all winter.;)

I have my wife for that. Man...that was out of line even for me. Oh well. It's Laf. vs. Lehigh week...it's all about raising the bar.

[Pard94]

Some of us professionals have 'other' things to attend to at times. We don't have the luxury of sitting/standing around while working on a PennDot crew posting on Blackberrys, or sitting under the trees on Lehigh's campus as part of the landscaping crew and checking in...I'm just lucky to take a break every now and then.

Does the landscaping crew at lehigh have to provide their own spelunking gear or does that come with the uniform?

[Bogus Megapardus]

Nicetry Bogus, but even tho I was looking forward to a week of repartee I find that I'mjust not up for itnow. The season has worn out my normal sunny disposition and more surely my patience and sense of humor. Mean posts just to be mean not my forte. If I cant be funny and sarcastic then id rather not start up. Lets hopethat Saturday's weather is like today. I can quarantee a good tailgateto which all AGSers are welcome. Yeah even Pards. See you at the game.

:D I'm never mean just to be mean. That's not the tradition. You know as well as I that were Lehigh the league champs, I'd back them 100%, just as I do Holy Cross.

Well, maybe 95% 'cause it's Lehigh, but still . . . .

[Doc QB]

Bogus,
I'm a vascular surgeon Hopkins....what does your brother do down here? What division?

And as a LU guy, I had the intelligence to move away from colonic surgery, **** and stool bags, prefering the better smelling ORs doing complex aortic reconstructions...something a Laf grad like your brother was not smart enough to do, staying down below the equator with poo bags and all. But I guess being in Easton for four years and smelling that crap for four years, has him feeling at home doing butts and guts surgery.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Early book has Bucknell a 4½ point home dog to Cross . . . that's the only one up so far.

[HoyaMetanoia]

I don't get how anyone can seriously question whether Kelly has played a major role in the decline of the Georgetown program. We've never been world-beaters, but he's taken us to new depths. Not only are his results poor, but if you polled kids in his program at the moment, his approval rating would look like Nixon post-Watergate.

[Bogus Megapardus]

I don't get how anyone can seriously question whether Kelly has played a major role in the decline of the Georgetown program. We've never been world-beaters, but he's taken us to new depths. Not only are his results poor, but if you polled kids in his program at the moment, his approval rating would look like Nixon post-Watergate.

He can't be fired unless there's an AD to fire him, I suppose.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Week 12 Sportsbook:

THE GAME:

Harvard at Yale

Harvard -7
Yale +7

THE RIVALRY:

Lafayette at Lehigh

Lafayette -8½
Lehigh +8½

* * * * * * * * * *

Other contests:

Princeton at Dartmouth

Princeton +8
Dartmouth -8

Brown at Columbia

Brown -6
Columbia +6

Fordham at Georgetown

Fordham -14½
Georgetown +14½

Cornell at Pennsylvania

Cornell +28
Pennsylvania -28

Holy Cross at Bucknell (Early line posted yesterday has been pulled)

Holy Cross -22
Bucknell +22


* * * * * * * * * * *

[Pard94]

Bogus,
I'm a vascular surgeon Hopkins....what does your brother do down here? What division?

And as a LU guy, I had the intelligence to move away from colonic surgery, **** and stool bags, prefering the better smelling ORs doing complex aortic reconstructions...something a Laf grad like your brother was not smart enough to do, staying down below the equator with poo bags and all. But I guess being in Easton for four years and smelling that crap for four years, has him feeling at home doing butts and guts surgery.

This is an interesting post. On the one hand it was revolting enough to put me right off my feed as they say. In that regard it was very much "in your face". Yet on a much deeper, almost subliminal level...it was probably as effective a Lafayette-bashing post as I have seen posted to this site thus far. You have all of your bases covered...you bash the school, the town an individual graduate (and his brother)...I give it a 8. Well done Doc.

[ColgateTD]

We interrupt this program to bring you an important update:

Lafayette - LU has been gaining strength the past few weeks, but I don't see them upsetting the 'Pards, even in Goodman

Fordham - Easy pickin's for Skelton as G'town runs the table...:(

Holy Cross - Dom lowers the boom on the Bison and runs the table. Good luck to the Cross in the first round of the 1-AA tourney (...I never did like that "FCS" boloney)


45-8 on the season.....xwhistlex

[LU73]

We interrupt this program to bring you an important update:

Lafayette - LU has been gaining strength the past few weeks, but I don't see them upsetting the 'Pards, even in Goodman
Fordham - Easy pickin's for Skelton as G'town runs the table...:(

Holy Cross - Dom lowers the boom on the Bison and runs the table. Good luck to the Cross in the first round of the 1-AA tourney (...I never did like that "FCS" boloney)


45-8 on the season.....xwhistlex

Please repost this often during the week. It will begin to sound quite similar to 2008. :)

[Pard4Life]

I don't know why everyone thinks we are going to walk all over Lehigh. They have the top PL defense and had 9 sacks against Fordham. Clark looked solid in the highligts vs the Rams and definetely not the QB I saw earlier this year... real assertive and confident in his decision making. If Clark gets going and can thread our questionable secondary, we will be in trouble.

[Pard94]

I don't know why everyone thinks we are going to walk all over Lehigh. They have the top PL defense and had 9 sacks against Fordham. Clark looked solid in the highligts vs the Rams and definetely not the QB I saw earlier this year... real assertive and confident in his decision making. If Clark gets going and can thread our questionable secondary, we will be in trouble.

Well Pard4Life let me explain it to you. See this week represents the 145th time that Lafayette will meet Lehigh in a football contest. If you weren't aware that makes this particular rivalry college football's "most played rivalry". It's kind of a big deal.

Now, as is usually the case with most rivalries, the build up to the actual game is often what makes the game so special. This period is often marked by everything from pointed banter between supporters of the teams up to and including actual pranks that may be played out against rivals. Generally it is agreed that one need not look to past records as an indicator to how the actual game will unfold as often the emotion of the rivalry itself can propel a team to play well above what their record would otherwise indicate. Given that past records and individual match ups are at least temporarily subjegated in favor of school spirit and the overall frenzy of the rivalry it is also generally agreed upON THAT A GIVEN TEAM'S SUPPORTERS SHOULD NOT POINT OUT IT'S RIVALS POTENTIAL STRENGTHS AND POSSIBLE NEGATIVE OUTCOMES THAT COULD TRANSPIRE AS A RESULT OF SAID STRENGTHS.

I hope this clears it up for you. xeyebrowx

[RichH2]

94

While I wont participate in this year's trashing, must say your post lays out the pertinent rules excellently

[DFW HOYA]

Georgetown-Fordham--is it Fordham's last game as a contender in the PL?

[Bogus Megapardus]

Georgetown-Fordham--is it Fordham's last game as a contender in the PL?

You could spoil the party, couldn't you?

[Bogus Megapardus]

Updated Week 12 Sportsbook now with Over/Under lines:


THE GAME:

Harvard at Yale

Harvard -7
Yale +7
O/U 37

THE RIVALRY:

Lafayette at Lehigh

Lafayette -8½
Lehigh +8½
O/U 45

* * * * * * * * * *

Other contests:

Princeton at Dartmouth

Princeton +8
Dartmouth -8
O/U 40

Brown at Columbia

Brown -6
Columbia +6
O/U 47

Fordham at Georgetown

Fordham -14½
Georgetown +14½
O/U 40

Cornell at Pennsylvania

Cornell +28
Pennsylvania -28
O/U 35

Holy Cross at Bucknell

Holy Cross -22
Bucknell +22
O/U 50


* * * * * * * * * *

[Pard4Life]

Ok, time for football talk:

Fordham 28, Gtown 17. Adios Skelton

Holy Cross 28, Bucknell 14... An HC loss would be bad for Lafayette.

Lafayette 24, Lehigh 14... The Pards are pissed and focused. This is definetely not last year. Curley is at the helm with a 25-1 shot at the playoffs. And, 9 wins. Lehigh's defense is a concern, especially their QB pressure tactics. Their secondary is the best in the PL. Quick strikes over the middle will solve that. How will Clark respond? If he is having a bad game, or the Pards defense is hitting hard and fast, it could be a blowout.

Harvard 35, Yale 17... Yale has issues moving the ball and the Crimson have a balanced offensive attack.

[VT Wildcat Fan53]

LAFAYETTE 35 @ LEHIGH 21 xpeacex Lehigh stays spirited, but 'pards angling for playoffs
FORDHAM 17 @ GEORGETOWN 3 xrotatehx Fordham gets ready for 2010
HOLY CROSS 45 @ BUCKNELL 7 xbowx Tune up for 1st round hosting of UNH

[Bogus Megapardus]

Oh my! xeekx The line, as of Thursday morning, has moved from Lafayette by 8½ to Lafayette by 7½. LFN must be spending a bloody fortune at the bookie. xtwocentsx

Other PL games remain stable.

[Pards Rule]

WTF! Take the Pards and the points!!

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

44-12 Overall

Fordham 38 Georgetown 14
Holy Cross 32 Bucknell 14
Lehigh 24 Lafayette 20

[Go...gate]

Georgetown 12, Fordham 10

Lafayette 22, Lehigh 16

Holy Cross 34, Bucknell 20

Bonus pick:

Dartmouth 16, Princeton 14

[Bogus Megapardus]

Holy Cross 31 - 17 over Bucknell

Fordham 28 - 6 over Georgetown

Lafayette 51 - 10 over Lehigh

[CrusaderBob]

No time to look up the record last week or on the season. Besides, HC won the PL, who cares how good my picks were!

Onto this week!


LAFAYETTE - Lehigh defense is tough, but Lafayette won't fall flat two years in a row, especially with just a small glimmer of playoff hope alive.

FORDHAM - Rams take second in the battle of the PL Jesuit 3.

HOLY CROSS - Haven't picked against them all year. Why start now. A little hangover from winning the championship. Gilmore has just enough carrots out there - 10 wins, & the possibilty of a home playoff game - to prevent the team from napping.

[carney2]

& the possibilty of a home playoff game

Whaddya think, Bob, are the 'saders willing to buy one? I'm betting "no,' but you have a feel for what's going on up there.

[CrusaderBob]

According to a story in today's Worcester Telegram, yes, we're willing.


Holy Cross director of athletics Dick Regan confirmed that the school has submitted bids to host first- and second-round games.

Here's the full article:

http://www.telegram.com/article/20091120/COLUMN11/911200476/1009/SPORTS

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Sources:

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com/2009/11/preview-of-145th-lafayette-at-lehigh.html
http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews.com/index.php/2009/11/20/the-csn-way-seven-nation-armies?blog=5

Lafayette at Lehigh and Holy Cross at Bucknell. It could be argued that Lafayette has been talking to themselves at night ever since they lost the 144th meeting of “The Rivalry, where Lehigh finally broke a four-game losing streak to the Leopards 31-15. The Mountain Hawks are hoping to ruin Lafayette’s season for the second year in a row, while Lafayette hopes to join Patriot League champion Holy Cross (who travel to Bucknell this weekend to close out the year) in the playoffs.

The Crusaders, behind the arm of quarterback Dominic Randolph, should cruise past Bucknell and then head home to see if they host a first-round game. But quarterback Rob Curley and the Leopards have a tougher task ahead this weekend against a team whose sole mission is to make them talk to themselves at night once again. Lehigh linebacker Matt Cohen somehow finds a way to make a play - and opens up an at-large spot for somebody.

Dominating Dominics 30, Bison Burgers 12
South Mountain Silencers 20, Curley-Tailed Leopards 17

Fordham at Georgetown. Unfortunately, 0-11 is in the offing for the Hoyas.

Skelton - Draft Pick? 34, Hoya Boyas 13

[carney2]

According to a story in today's Worcester Telegram, yes, we're willing.



Here's the full article:

http://www.telegram.com/article/20091120/COLUMN11/911200476/1009/SPORTS


I am proven wrong yet again. It would be great if you got at least one. You have the stadium for it.

[JoltinJoe]

1882, or so this site says:
http://www.luckyshow.org/football/sh.htm

Fordham's first game ever was against Seton Hall, a 2-0 win for Fordham. The score 2-0 has figured into some of the Rams' biggest wins ever.

[Fordhamanhattan]

Fordham 45 Georgetown 14 (Skelton adds final chapter)
Lafayette 35 Lehigh 14 (clark is a mediocrity who was allowed to shine by the Rams feeble pash rush)
the Cross 45 Bucknell 21 (bison offense is awfull as usual)

Bonus Fact: John O'Hara the bard of eastern Pennsylvania was a Fordham man

[ColgateTD]

With an overall record of 46-10 I hereby declare myself the Champion of the PL Pick 'Em contest for the 2009 season! (with Carney's permission of course....xcoolx)

[Go Lehigh TU owl]

With an overall record of 46-10 I hereby declare myself the Champion of the PL Pick 'Em contest for the 2009 season! (with Carney's permission of course....xcoolx)

Very impressive. I'm not dissapointed in my 44-13 season. Some how i forgot to pick the Holy Cross-Sacred Heart game. Whatta mistake.:p